Collapsible container



June 29 1926.

J. H. M MANUS ET AL COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed August 9, 1921 351 their 61 w Patented June 29, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. MCMANUS AND GEORGE D. MCMANUS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

COLLAPSIIBLE CONTAINER.

Application filed August 9, 1921. Serial No. 490,861.

This invention relates to certain improvements in containers, and particularly to that class of containers from which the contents are removed by deforming r depressing the container, such as, for instance, the tubes of collapsible metal now widely used for packaging paste, creams and the like, of soft or plastic substances.

These containers are usually displayed in drug stores, stationery shops and the like, which handle them, in the cartons or boxes in which they are packed by the manufacturers, or where they are taken out of the boxes and sold from the counters, are dis played in a flat position.' This interferes with a desirable display of the container particularly where it is desired to show off the container on the counter or in the window displays.

It is the especial object of the present in vention to produce a container of the class referred to which is provided with means for supporting it in an upright position and preferably with the neck or discharge orifice extending downward, so that the container may be set up on end on the counter, in the window, or the like. This permits of a distinctive display for the container and is handy for the users in that the container is easily and readily grasped by the hand, and furthermore the container is not so apt to roll off a table or shelfas those which are laying sidewise thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container with a base or stand which will act to thus support it, the container and base being formed with interengaging parts for removably securing them together, and in the best constructions to form the base so that it will also act to close the discharge nozzle or orifice, this base or stand being so designed that it may readily be removed from the container, to permit the contents to be removed therefrom, and then replaced.

With these and other objects not specifically referred to in View, the invention consists in certain novel parts and constructions which will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings and the novel features pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed.

verted position on a stand, the latter being shown in broken lines.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional View of the base of the container.

Referring now to the structure illustrated, which is the preferred form, there is shown a tube of collapsible metal of the usual form having a circular body portion 1, a flattened end portion 2 and a neck portion 3 of smaller diameter than the tube, this neck portlon forming the discharge orifice of the container.

In the preferred construction and as shown there are provided means for supporting this container in an upright position with the neck or discharge orifice of the container at the bottom and these means will also preferably be such as to effect a closing of this discharge orifice. To effect this there is provided a base or support 4: which is so formed and dimensioned as to provide a support sufficiently rigid to keep the container from being readily tipped over when stood in an upright position on the base. This base may be of various configurations and may be formed to effect the closing of the discharge orifice of the container tube in different ways. As shown, referring to Figures 1 and 2, the base 4: is formed of metal or other suitable substance and preferably of a somewhat larger diameter than the diameter of the tube which it. is to support, so as to provide a good supporting surface with the use of a small amount of metal. This base is provided with a sloping upper surface 5 to produce a nice appearance and may be concaved or hollowed out underneath as indicated at 6 to form a flange 7 which may act to frictionally engage the counter, table or the like, on which the tube and base are to stand.

The tube and the base are in the construction illustrated provided with interengaging parts. for removably holding them together. In the construction shown in Figure 2 the base is provided with a projection or boss 8 which is interiorly threaded as indicated at 9 to receive the threaded end 10 of the neck 3 of the tube With this construct-ion the base may be readily unscrewed from the tube to permit the contents thereof to be discharged through the neck. If desired the base may be provided with a milled edge 11 to permit it to be more readily removed and replaced on the neck of the tube.

In some circumstances, however, it may be desirable to have the dischar e of the tube contents take place through t e base, and a construction for effecting this is shown in Figure 2. When thus used the base is hollowed out or concaved sufiiciently to accomo date a stopper 14, which is inserted into the discharge orifice 15, which in this case extends through the base, and closes'the orifice. When this construction is employed the base may be, if desired, made integral with the tube, or se arately, as shown. The base formed as escribed also provides further means for distinctive display, in that the name or character of the preparation in the container may be stamped, embossed or otherwise placed on the u per surface 5 of the base. This is also a vantageous for a user in that after a tube has been deformed so as to conceal the marking thereon, the marking on the base will still be plainly visible and thus permit a desired tube to be readily picked out from a number of other tubes. The base when also used as a cap furthermore provides a closure which is not apt to get lost or mislaid when removed.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the collapsible tube will preferably be provided with identify-.

ing marks or indicia indicating the character of the contents of the tube, and as shown in the figure the identifying, marks are imprinted or otherwise aflixed to the tube body so that they can be read when the tube is suported on the base with the discharge orifice extending downwardly. These marks may, of course, be applied in various ways, but in the best constructions they are printed or stamped so that the reading matter or other mark has a vertical arrangement whereby it may be readily read by the user, this whole arrangement providing an effective display of the tube.

While the invention has been shown and described in its best form it will be understood that certain changes and variations may be made in the specific form of the base and the means whereby the base acts to close the discharge orifice of the tube and it will be understood that such changes and variations may be made without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. A tube of collapsible or deformable material having a discharge nipple and a. base on which the tube is supported so as to stand upright with the nipple extending downwar ly, said base having an upwardly extendin hub in which the nipple engages and forme with a recess below the hub opening out through the base through which the contents of the tube may be discharged, and means for closing the recess in the base.

2. A tube of collapsible material having a discharge nipple a base on which the tube is supported so as to stand upright with the nipple extending downwardly, said base having an upwardly extending hub in which the nipple engages, and being provided with an opening therethrough concentric with the hub and a closure for the opening in the base, the undersurface of the base being provided with a recess of suflicient depth to accommodate the closure and maintain it out of contact with the support on which the base rests.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands.

JAMES H. MoMANUS. GEORGE D. MCMANUS. 

